BLR
,
Colorize
,
David Forbes
,
David Rust
,
Dreamstate
,
Enhanced Music
,
Estiva
,
Guest Reviews
,
House Reviews
,
Ian Stirling
,
Interstellar
,
Joseph James
,
Leena Punks
,
Liam Wilson
,
Reviews
,
Subculture
,
Techno
,
Trance Reviews
,
William Daniel
Guest Reviews: William Daniel Selects Vol. 3
Welcome to William Daniel Selects Vol. 3, a curated snapshot of the tracks currently shaping dancefloors and sparking conversations in the trance and progressive community. This volume captures the pulse of the scene, blending raw energy, emotional depth, and forward-thinking production across a spectrum of styles. Fresh from the recent Vinyl Fantasy event—a night drenched in nostalgia and future sounds alike, where rare pressings and exclusive IDs created an atmosphere of pure magic—these reviews reflect the records that are leaving their mark right now.
David Forbes opens the selection with “Diskotek” on WAO138?!, a relentless peak-time weapon built for main stages and cavernous arenas, a track that dominated A State of Trance Rotterdam with its precision and punch. Liam Wilson’s “Unconditionally” on Dreamstate takes an opposite route, an intimate tribute steeped in emotion, unfolding with patience before erupting into an earned, euphoric release.
From there, Estiva’s “TCL” on Colorize delivers a sleek and driving journey, balancing underground grit with melodic poise, perfect for those late-night moments when the room is locked in. Trevor Reilly’s “Down With The Underground” (Ian Stirling Remix) on Pure Trance reimagines a 1998 classic with modern polish and deep respect, bridging generations with its progressive flow.
BLR’s “Spring Drop” (DJ promo) is a bold set of remixes, transforming iconic tracks with focus and finesse, built for darker, intimate rooms. Joseph James’ “Fly Away” on Subculture soars with golden-era spirit, a spine-tingling anthem that feels like a career-defining moment. Meanwhile, Leena Punks x Reyus x Lauren L’aimant’s “Hold On Me” on Interstellar wraps emotional weight in shimmering, retro-leaning progressive textures—cinematic and addictive in equal measure.
Together, these selections echo the energy of Vinyl Fantasy, where timelessness met innovation, and the dancefloor felt suspended between memory and the new. William Daniel’s latest picks are not just tracks, but moments waiting to happen—crafted to linger long after the last beat fades.
- David Forbes - Diskotek out on WAO138?!
William Daniel Review: David Forbes returns to WAO138?! with Diskotek, a thunderous peak time weapon engineered with one goal in mind: absolute dancefloor domination. The Scottish powerhouse delivers a track that wastes no time, rolling out a relentless groove, razor sharp percussion and a colossal lead that feels tailor made for cavernous arenas and main stage festival moments. It is no surprise this one has been hammered by the scene’s heavyweights, echoing through the biggest rooms worldwide. The impact was undeniable at A State Of Trance in Rotterdam where Diskotek ripped through the speakers multiple times across the weekend. Precision built, brutally effective and impossible to ignore, this is another seismic entry in the ever formidable catalogue of David Forbes. (W.D)
- Liam Wilson - Unconditionally out on Dreamstate
William Daniel Review: There is a certain kind of trance record that aims for the peak time, the hands-in-the-air moment, the communal rush. And then there are records like this, where the emotional weight lands first, long before the kick drum finds its stride. Liam Wilson’s “Unconditionally,” his debut outing on Dreamstate Records, sits firmly in the latter camp, even as it eventually surges into full-bodied, high-octane release.
Wilson has long been a quietly relentless presence in the UK underground, a Manchester craftsman with more than a decade and a half of graft behind him. You can hear that lineage here. The track does not rush itself. It breathes. It remembers. It builds with the patience of someone who understands exactly what a dancefloor can hold when you let it.
At its core, “Unconditionally” is not just another vocal trance single. It is something far more personal, almost unbearably so. Written in tribute to his late mother, with lyrics drawn from her own words, the track carries a sense of intimacy that feels rare in a genre often driven by abstraction. There is grief here, but also tenderness. Not a spectacle of loss, more a quiet conversation with it.
The opening is disarmingly gentle. Soft piano chords set the tone, reflective and slightly fragile, while the vocal drifts in with a kind of restrained elegance. It feels less like a performance and more like a confession unfolding in real time. The sentiment, rooted in a love that was never fully returned, lingers in that unresolved space. You can feel the weight of what was left unsaid.
As the arrangement slowly gathers momentum, Wilson resists the temptation to force the uplift. Instead, he allows the emotion to guide the transition. When the track finally opens up, it does so with purpose. The arpeggios rise in shimmering layers, the rhythm locks in, and suddenly the piece expands into something vast and luminous. It is not just euphoria for its own sake. It feels earned, like a release after holding your breath for far too long.
There is an almost spectral quality to the climax, as if the music itself is reaching outward, searching for connection beyond the physical space of the club. That sense of transmission, of sending something deeply personal into the void and hoping it resonates, is what gives “Unconditionally” its lasting impact.
In a scene that can sometimes prioritise immediacy over depth, Wilson delivers something that lingers. A track that understands both the power of the drop and the silence that comes before it. A piece of work that does not just move bodies, but quietly unsettles the heart. (W.D)
- Estiva - TCL out on Colorize
William Daniel Review: Colorize turns the page and steps into a new season with Estiva’s TCL, a track that feels less like an introduction and more like a statement of intent from one of the label’s most trusted architects of the club floor.
There is a pulse at the heart of it that never lets up. Bass surges forward with quiet authority, percussion snaps clean and exact, and the melody coils tight before blooming into something luminous and quietly affecting. It is music that understands movement, not just of bodies in a room but of feeling, of tension and release, of that fleeting moment when everything aligns under low light and heavy air.
Estiva has long had a gift for walking that fine line between precision and soul, and here it feels honed to a sharp edge. Fresh from a commanding showing at Fabric and buoyed by the steady nod of those who know this sound inside out, he leans into both sides of his craft. There is grit here, a sense of the underground pushing through, yet it never loses sight of clarity or purpose.
TCL lands with intent, built for the thick of the night when the room is locked in and time slips sideways. It sets the tone for what is to come, hinting at a body of work that will carry both weight and elegance in equal measure, the kind that lingers long after the last note fades. (W.D)
- Trevor Reilly - Down With The Underground (Ian Stirling Remix) [Pure Trance]
William Daniel: Trevor Reilly’s Down With The Underground first saw the light of day back in 1998 on Manifesto and quickly became a favourite among DJs of the era, with the legendary Judge Jules spinning it live on his Essential Selection mix. The violin work from Chris Stout was a bold and unexpected touch back then, giving the track a distinctive voice that still resonates today.
Now Ian Stirling has taken this classic and transformed it into a 128bpm progressive trance masterpiece, bringing over 35 years of experience behind the decks to the remix. Every iconic element from the original remains, yet it has been polished and modernised with exquisite care, ready to captivate a whole new generation of trance lovers.
In Mexico, the track reached monumental status, propelling Trevor to play in front of more than 70,000 people at the Aztec Stadium, cementing his reputation as a true international force. This remix is both classy and sublime, a fitting tribute to a Scottish legend whose music continues to inspire and move the dancefloor. A stunning release all round. (W.D)
- BLR - Spring Drop [Not Released/Only on DJ Promo]
William Daniel Review: There is a certain nerve to BLR’s Spring Drop, the kind that grabs you early and refuses to loosen its grip. This is not a polite collection of remixes. It is a collection of dancefloor focused weapons. BLR steps into well-worn territory and reshapes it with finesse, pulling classic cuts into a sharper, more nocturnal frame.
It also feels worth saying plainly that Leon Bolier remains one of the most talented producers of the past two decades, and a personal favourite of mine. That sense of craft and control runs right through this release.
Taking on names like Trentemøller, Push, ZHU and Dosem is no small task. These are tracks with history and with weight. Yet BLR handles them with a clear sense of direction, stripping things back where needed and pushing them forward where it counts.
“Moan” opens with a brooding patience. The bones are still there, but the mood is tightened, more insistent, and built for those darker rooms. “Universal Nation” follows with purpose, reworking this absolute classic into something that trades some of its original uplift for drive and control, without losing its identity.
“Faded” leans into atmosphere. It becomes less about its vocal hook and more about space, texture, and restraint. “Beach Kisses” does something similar with Dosem’s genius, giving it a cleaner, more hypnotic edge that feels engineered for late hours and long transitional blends.
The real curve comes with “Silksong OST Bilewater”. Drawing from Christopher Larkin and the score to Hollow Knight: Silksong, it is a more restrained piece, almost fragile in places. It does not aim for the peak time moment. Instead it endures, offering a brief, reflective pause that adds depth to the overall release.
What stands out most is the cohesion. This is not a scattergun approach to remixing. Leon knows exactly what these tracks need to sit comfortably in modern sets. The result is focused, confident, and extremely powerful. Essential (W.D)
- Joseph James (IRL) - Fly Away out on Subculture
William Daniel Review: There’s a certain kind of magic that only trance can summon, something ineffable, something that lifts you clean out of yourself, and with Fly Away, Joseph James captures it in full flight.
First heard as a mystery ID in A State of Trance Rotterdam 2026, unveiled by John O’Callaghan, the track immediately stirred that rare, spine-tingling recognition among listeners: this is special. One that understands the very DNA of the genre. You can hear the echoes of 1999 woven through its core, the golden era of trance, yet it never feels like nostalgia for today's trend. Instead, it’s reverence, reimagined through a modern lens.
Released on Subculture, Fly Away surges with emotional clarity. The melodies don’t just rise, they fly. There’s a purity to the breakdown that feels almost disarming, before the track erupts into a euphoric crescendo that’s as cathartic as it is commanding. It’s the kind of production that reminds you why you fell in love with Subculture in the first place.
What makes this moment all the more compelling is where it places Joseph James in the wider picture, it feels like a turning point. Having already made waves with earlier productions on Kearnage, he’s been quietly building a steady reputation, but Fly Away is his finest piece yet. The one that says: pay attention.
If this is the level he’s operating at now, there’s a strong sense that the ceiling simply doesn’t exist. No glass barrier, no imposed limits, just open sky.
In a scene that often circles its own past, Joseph James has managed to honour it while pushing forward. Fly Away doesn’t just live up to its name, it earns it. (W.D)
- Leena Punks x Reyus x Lauren L'aimant - Hold On Me out on Interstellar
William Daniel Review: There’s a certain late night electricity to ‘Hold On Me’ that feels both nostalgic and quietly devastating, the kind of track that slips under your skin before you realise it’s taken hold. Leena Punks, Reyus and Lauren L'aimant arrive with a release on Interstellar Recordings that does more than simply tick the progressive house boxes. It lingers. It aches. It remembers.
From the outset, the track leans into a shimmering synthwave glow, all neon reflections and slow burning tension. There’s a distinctly retro pulse at its core, those familiar minor chords and glassy arpeggios weaving together with a warm, rolling sub bass that feels like it’s breathing beneath the surface. It’s progressive in structure, yes, but emotionally it plays closer to something cinematic, like watching old memories flicker across a screen you cannot switch off.
L’aimant is the gravitational centre here. Her voice doesn’t just sit on top of the production, it inhabits it. There’s a silkiness to her delivery, but also a quiet desperation, as she captures that suffocating pull of love you cannot escape. The hook lands with a kind of hypnotic certainty, repeating like a thought you wish you could shake but never quite manage. It’s intimate and expansive at the same time, a rare balance.
What elevates ‘Hold On Me’ is how carefully its atmosphere is shaped. The producers resist the urge to overplay their hand. Instead, they allow space for the mood to build, for the darkness in the sound design to creep in around the edges. It gives the track a sense of timelessness, echoing the spirit of classic progressive while still feeling fresh and deliberate.
There’s also a quiet sense of evolution here for Leena Punks, whose earlier appearance on the Celestia Vol. 1 compilation hinted at potential. This feels like a step forward, more assured, more emotionally resonant, more complete.
And it all lands under the banner of Interstellar Recordings, a label that continues to prove its worth as part of the wider Insomniac family. If this is the calibre of music being sent out into the void, then the future feels wide open. Limitless, even. Like staring into a night sky that never quite ends, full of possibilities still waiting to be discovered.
‘Hold On Me’ does not shout for attention. It pulls you in slowly, wraps around you, and before long, you realise you’re not ready to let go. (W.D)
- David Rust - Without You out on Dreamstate
William Daniel Review: Hailing from Yoker in Glasgow, David Rust has steadily carved out a reputation as a producer who constantly reinvigorates the rave scene with a sound that shifts effortlessly across trance, hard dance, techno, psy, and all manner of gritty euphoria. Now he makes his debut on Dreamstate Records with a single that demands attention. 'Without You' is a heart-pounding hard trance cut, a masterclass in Rust’s alchemic approach to contemporary club energy. At its core lies a vocal hook brimming with vulnerability, a declaration of utter dependence on another. The line 'I can't be without you now' reverberates hypnotically over a storm of moody sub-bass oscillations, galloping psy basslines, high-pitched vox synth leads, and crisp, classic stabs that hit with a wave of nostalgia during the climactic build. David Rust is no stranger to the spotlight. He has collaborated with artists such as Uberjak'd, Jakka-B, Renegade System, and Joey Riot, and he has delivered remixes for heavyweights like Jordan Suckley, Ben Nicky, and Scot Project. With 'Without You,' he cements his status as a craftsman of emotion-fuelled dance music, creating a track that grabs you by the balls and refuses to let go. (W.D)
Vinyl Fantasy 3.0 lands on 17th October at SWG3 Warehouse, and this one hits different. It's our birthday party, and in reality it’s a full-blooded celebration of everything that made us fall in love with the culture in the first place. Raw, uncompromising, and played the way it was meant to be heard.
For the first time in Scotland, Scot Project steps up for a classics set played exclusively on vinyl. Let that sink in. Three decades of records, history etched into wax, delivered by a man who didn’t just witness the evolution of the sound, he shaped it. This is a rare chance to experience those mind-bending productions exactly as they were intended. No shortcuts, no edits, just pure energy from start to finish.
Then there’s Steven ‘Podders’ Podmore, a name that carries serious respect among vinyl purists. His sets are deeply personal, shaped by years of dedication to the craft. If you’ve caught his selections on the Thrillseekers Connected shows, you’ll know the standard. Expect hidden gems, unexpected turns, and the kind of moments you can’t script.
With William Daniel and Stewart Green completing the lineup, there’s a sense of cohesion here, a shared understanding of what Vinyl Fantasy is about and how far it can go. Every set matters, and every record has a place.
This time, it all unfolds in daylight. A deliberate shift, giving the music space to unfold beautifully, to connect with you in the way that endures long after the last track fades.
Step beyond the familiar and into something more expansive: Vinyl Fantasy 3.0 | The Third Dimension Daylight Edition. 💫
